April 8, 2010

Sign of the Times: Extreme body modifications

The loathing of the Mainstream, bequeathed to us by Gramsci and the Frankfurt School, taken to its logical conclusion.

In the seemingly no-boundaries world of tattooing and body piercing, artists no longer just poke and pinch parts of the body. They split tongues, create artistic scars by cutting or branding, and implant three-dimensional objects underneath the skin.But some in the industry say that, if the surgery was performed with the client’s informed consent, they don’t see a problem. “If you own anything, you own your body. If the state or society says no, we have more control of your body over you, you’re not free,” said Shannon Larratt, the Toronto founder of Body Modification Ezine, an online magazine.

According to the Guelph Mercury, the DVD shows a labia-reduction procedure being performed on a woman as heavy metal music blares in the background. Hands and arms with distinct tattoos are visible, but views of faces are fleeting and unclear, the newspaper reported.

Guelph police Det.-Const. Kevin King said he and his partner were stunned by what they saw. King said the investigation could result in aggravated assault charges or charges of violating the provincial Health Professions Act. Consent will be one factor that police have to consider, he said.

Dr. Wayne Carman, president of the Canadian Society for Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery, says anyone who performs a surgical procedure should have medical training. “For someone to take on some of these ideas — even splitting a tongue — it’s not something you do in someone’s basement,” he said.

There’s no consensus within the tattoo and piercing industry. Calgary tattoo artist Steve Peace says he thinks most practitioners of extreme body modification are unqualified and unaware of the risks. “Where do you stop? Now, they’re cutting nipples off,” he said. “I’m a tattoo artist. I’m not a doctor.”